1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an automated guided vehicle control system and method and, more particularly, to an automated guided vehicle control system and method in which a control device placed at a remote location integrally controls operations of a plurality of automated guided vehicles moving on a single guide path.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) is an apparatus to perform loading work to load articles placed at a predetermined loading location into the AGV, and unloading work to unload articles from the AGV to a predetermined unloading location.
Two AGVs are generally operated on a single guide path and are integrally controlled by a control device connected to the AGVs through wired or wireless communication lines.
The control device controls the AGVs to be operated on the single path without collisions.
However, when the two AGVs are operated on the single guide path, an operation of a first AGV is restricted by a location of a second AGV because a collision may occur between the two AGVs.
Accordingly, a conventional AGV control system prevents the AGVs from moving to working locations at the same time if movements of the AGVs have a possibility of interfering with each other.
For example, the first AGV is made to wait for work until the second AGV completes a movement to a working location thereof. When the movement of the second AGV is completed, the second AGV having performed the movement is made to wait for work, and the first AGV having waited for work moves to a working location thereof.
The conventional AGV control system is problematic in that, even though the first and second AGVs have the same moving direction, the first AGV may move to the working location thereof after the second AGV reaches the working location thereof, so that overall conveying time of the AGVs increases, thus reducing a conveying efficiency of the AGVs.